Oklahoma Sen. James Inhofe (R) made two major announcements at EAA AirVenture yesterday morning, one concerning the future of the Washington, D.C., ADIZ, the other about proposed rules that would require avgas to contain alternative fuels.
The Washington ADIZ, created after the 9/11 attacks, has been a major obstacle to general aviation in the Washington, D.C., area. Yet the controlling agencies have not justified its continued existence as mandated by the rules under which it was established.
"Both (EAA President) Tom Poberezny and (AOPA President) Phil Boyer told me the FAA and the DOD (Department of Defense) and the DHS (Department of Homeland Security) refuse to meet with the aviation community (about the ADIZ). So I’m announcing right now that in my committee room, on September 12, we’re going to have the very top people at the FAA, DOD and DHS" meet with leaders of GA organizations and discuss the future of the ADIZ. "I want to meet with EAA and AOPA before that meeting to see what we want to get out of this," Inhofe said.
The senator also announced his stance against an amendment to the Clean Air Act that would require fuel for all motor vehicles, including GA aircraft, to contain at least 10 percent alternative fuels by 2010.
"For every hour a general aviation airplane is in the air, it’s something like a million cars are driving around, so it doesn’t make any sense to subject the aviation community to this imposition," said Inhofe, who chairs the Environment and Public Works Committee, which oversees the proposed legislation. "I announce here, under no circumstances is that bill going to see the light of day. We’re going to exempt aviation from the law."
"It looks like there’s a lot of airplanes here," continued the senator, "but I can take you to one parking lot in the Pentagon that has twice as many cars. So there aren’t enough airplanes to make that a problem with air quality."
Inhofe, a major GA supporter, is here for his 27th annual AirVenture, along with his sons James and Perry, who arrived in the family’s RV-7 and Grumman Tiger, and grandsons Glade and Cole.
The senator also noted that many other upcoming aviation issues will need input from the aviation community, such as user fees, and urged general aviation supporters to stay involved.
"Check with my office in Washington," Inhofe said. "Ruth Van Mark in my Washington office knows all the aviation issues. She’ll let them know everything."